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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23928856">Flower Crowns</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddelusionall/pseuds/ddelusionall'>ddelusionall</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, JYJ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Courting Rituals, Established Relationship, Flower Crowns, Inspired by Dreams, Kings &amp; Queens, M/M, Princes &amp; Princesses, Rival Kingdoms, Secret Relationship, Urban royalty, Waltzing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2016-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2016-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:47:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23928856</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddelusionall/pseuds/ddelusionall</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jaejoong has finally reached the age where he can choose a spouse from those suitors who attend the courting ceremony. Despite all the men vying for his hand, Jaejoong has always only had eyes (and heart) for one.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jung Yunho (DBSK)/Kim Jaejoong</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Flower Crowns</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am importing my stories from LiveJournal. The original fic can be found <a href="https://be-ddelusionall.livejournal.com/">here</a>.</p><p>I haven't read this story in a long time, so I may have missed some tags. Just let me know if I did.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jaejoong paused just outside the door of the celebration hall. He could hear the music, laughter and chatter from inside. So many people were already there. To Jaejoong, this tradition was nothing but a formality. He’d already made his choice of who he wanted to marry.</p><p>But ... well, many men in their kingdom wanted his hand, wanted to be married and tied to the royal family.</p><p>Jaejoong wanted someone and would hopefully be able to choose someone who wanted to be married to him and tied to him instead of the crown.</p><p>“They aren’t going to go away if you don’t open the door, Jaejoong,” his servant and confidant, Park Yoochun said. “There’s probably a lot of alcohol in there and your kingdom certainly knows how to throw a party.”</p><p>Jaejoong sighed and glanced behind him. Yoochun looked almost like royalty himself in his dark suit, long hair pulled away from his face with a bright red tie. He may as well have been royalty. His family had been serving Jaejoong’s family for longer than their records showed.</p><p>Yoochun turned him around and adjusted the white shirt and how it fell over his body. The gray jacket had red stitching up the lapels and in the buttons. He had not worn a tie, keeping the shirt open for teasing glimpses of his chest. The top black lines of the royal family tattoo peaked from just above the open part of his shirt. Yoochun flicked part of his blonde hair back into place from where it had fallen across his eyes.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“He better come,” Jaejoong said.</p><p>“He’d be stupid not to.”</p><p>Jaejoong opened the door. The place was packed with people dressed for a party and tables set up for dinner. The decorations and flowers were in reds and grays, the colors of his kingdom. Tablecloths, banners, garlands, their family crest. A circular area in the middle of the tables had been transformed into a temporary dance floor, and Jaejoong recognized many of the men and women of his court dancing to the music coming through the sound system</p><p>“Jaejoong-ah!” Seunghyun shouted, an arm around his shoulders. “Have a drink.”</p><p>Jaejoong definitely needed one. He had no idea what was in the shot glass his friend held, but just tipped it back and down his throat. Eighteen more of those and he might be a little calm.</p><p>The music in the hall suddenly changed from popular dance music to old fashioned dance, and Jaejoong glanced up in surprise. The court quintet had almost quadrupled in numbers for this event, and they started playing some traditional dance songs. A ring of people danced upon a raised stage where the royal dining table would be. Their feet found the quick beat, their hands clapping in time to the music. The circle curled around the stage, a seamless dance, heels and boots clicking on the wood. Back in the day, there would have been metal tacks in their shoes to really emphasize the tapping.</p><p>Jaejoong looked over at Yoochun and grinned, and then made his way to the stage, hoisting himself up onto it. The dancers cried out welcomes to him and smiled at him and let him join in the middle of the circle, and he lost himself in the music. He caught sight of Kim Junsu, son of the army general and knew exactly how this impromptu dance circle had started.</p><p>Jaejoong figured that he probably shouldn’t have started dancing right away. He was going to get disheveled and sweaty before the ceremony, but he also didn’t really care. They danced in pairs and then in lines, once again continuing the circle, until the party planners attempted to shoo them away to set up the main dining table where the royal family would eat. Instead of moving off, they helped set up, many people telling Jaejoong to go rest himself.</p><p>He had no intention of doing that when he was perfectly capable of working alongside his people. They all knew that. When it was all done, he collapsed into a chair next to Junsu and smiled.</p><p>“Pretty decent dancing, JaeJae,” Junsu said. “You still look mostly awkward though.”</p><p>“Fuck you,” Jaejoong replied sweetly with a tilt to his head. “One day soon, you’ll learn to harness the powers of your hip thrusts and destroy all our enemies that way.”</p><p>Junsu laughed, the sound loud over the talking of the others.</p><p>Yoochun was there a moment later with a couple shot glasses and a couple bottles of soju. Jaejoong took the shot first before thanking Yoochun for always thinking ahead, and then nursed on the bottle of soju.</p><p>Junsu was watching Yoochun. “You still going to spout shit about propriety and appropriateness and celibacy when I offer to take you to bed later tonight?”</p><p>Yoochun lifted an eyebrow. “I never said anything about celibacy.”</p><p>Jaejoong laughed. “Yoochun? Celibate?” He snorted. “How many maids’ beds have you warmed in just the last week?”</p><p>Yoochun shrugged. “Too many.”</p><p>“Well, why won’t you sleep with me then?” Junsu demanded.</p><p>Yoochun smiled and said nothing.</p><p>Junsu huffed. “Your servant is a jerk.”</p><p>“So is the son of my army general.” Jaejoong glanced around the room again, not that he had stopped. There were many attractive men there, many that he knew he would be accepting gifts from later.</p><p>Just not the man he wanted to see.</p><p>“He’ll be here,” Yoochun assured him again.</p><p>“He better,” Jaejoong muttered.</p><p>Junsu’s eyebrow raised. “You already have someone picked out? Jaejoongie, that is not allowed.”</p><p>Jaejoong felt his cheeks flush. “Shut up.”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“No one. Shut up.”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“No one.”</p><p>“Have you been having an affair?”</p><p>“Shut up. No.”</p><p>“Well, sort of,” Yoochun said.</p><p>Jaejoong glared at him.</p><p>“It’s not an affair if you aren’t already with someone, right? So not really an affair.”</p><p>Jaejoong guzzled his soju.</p><p>Junsu laughed.</p><p>A bell pealed through the noise around them, signaling that everyone should take their seats for dinner. Jaejoong turned his body, back to the door on purpose and smiled as his sisters and their husbands and his parents made their way up to the royal family table. Junsu got up and slapped him on the shoulder, leaving to go sit with his family at one of the tables nearest the stage.</p><p>And that left a few seats next to Jaejoong empty. He wondered if any of the men dared to sit in them. They were allowed as suitors, though most did not wish to be so conspicuous. A waiter brought over another shot and then just left a bottle when Yoochun asked for it.</p><p>Jaejoong thanked him.</p><p>If Yunho did not come, Jaejoong was going to spend the rest of the night, and probably the rest of his life, drunk and wallowing in misery.</p><p>“He’ll be here,” Yoochun said again.</p><p>Jaejoong looked up at him, noticed his servant’s scowl and turned around. Next to him was Woohyuk, his hand on the back of the chair next to Jaejoong’s.</p><p>“May I sit here?”</p><p>Jaejoong took a deep breath, but it was Yoochun who said, “No” and waved him down a few seats.</p><p>Woohyuk looked incredibly insulted and rightfully so, but Jaejoong’s parents, who had seen the exchange, said nothing.</p><p>After that, no one tried to sit next to Jaejoong.</p><p>The first course of breads and cheese was brought out, followed almost immediately by a salad and light meats. Their glasses of wine were filled and refilled. And Jaejoong drained his faster with each passing moment that Yunho did not appear.</p><p>Conversation around the hall faltered for a moment. Yoochun sat up straight, staring behind them, and Jaejoong turned, not breathing because how could he? In the face of such handsomeness and perfection?</p><p>Jung Yunho strolled through the tables, smiling at most of the guests, shaking hands and bowing. He wore a blue suit with a shiny silver shirt underneath, the colors of his kingdom. His long hair was wrapped and bound up tight upon his head. Traditional engraved sticks were pushed through the bun with traditional strands of blue and silver silk dangling almost to his waist.</p><p>It'd been months since he last saw his lover. So many long lonely nights.</p><p>Without any embarrassment or second thoughts, Yunho climbed onto the stage at the spot nearest Jaejoong, foregoing the stairs on the other side. He bowed to Jaejoong’s parents and apologized profusely for being late, that his plane had been delayed, and then traffic through the city had been worse than normal because of an accident. He sat down next to Jaejoong. His own guard, Shim Changmin sat next to him.</p><p>“You are late,” Jaejoong hissed, eyes narrowed.</p><p>“Not my fault,” Yunho said and accepted a shot and a glass of wine from Yoochun. “I was detained at the airport.”</p><p>“You could have called.”</p><p>“My things were taken to be searched, and by the time I was allowed to leave, I knew that dinner had already started.”</p><p>“Detained?” Yoochun said.</p><p>“We were not given a reason,” Changmin supplied, already eating.</p><p>“No one was supposed to be detained for long,” Jaejoong said. “Just long enough to x-ray their possessions.”</p><p>Yunho shrugged. “Then I suggest you find out who bribed your transportation committee.”</p><p>Jaejoong fought the urge to glare at Woohyuk down the table.</p><p>“I still do not understand why you did not cancel this charade of a courting ceremony,” Yunho said, almost glowering at the few people who dared to stare at Jaejoong too long.</p><p>God, he was handsome. Strong jaw, small face, pretty, puckered lips that knew just where to kiss against Jaejoong’s skin to drive him crazy.</p><p>Jaejoong licked his lips.</p><p>“He likes getting presents,” Yoochun said.</p><p>Yunho and Changmin chuckled.</p><p>“Shut up. I hate you all.”</p><p>“You don’t hate me,” Yunho said and bumped their shoulders together.</p><p>“Yes, I do. You were late. I hate you. You made me freak out and drink too much.”</p><p>Yunho laughed. “God, you’re beautiful.”</p><p>“Shut up. I hate you.”</p><p>Yunho reached to touch him and then did not. It was a little upsetting, but Jaejoong knew why. It was already a horrific scandal that he’d allowed Yunho to sit at their table. The suitors for the royal family were from their kingdom. Definitely not from the neighboring kingdom. Definitely not from a warring royal family. They hadn’t actually had any wars with the Jung Kingdom for hundreds of years, but there was still a bit of animosity and competition between them.</p><p>The courting ceremony of the Kim Kingdom had been performed for hundreds of years in their kingdom. It was held for every royal child. Traditionally, suitors wishing to court a prince or princess presented them with a gift, and the king chose the best gift and that suitor then became their spouse. Many things had changed in their kingdom since then, like the succession of the throne was for the oldest no matter the gender, and the king no longer chose the best gift, but the prince or princess did. And it also did not matter what gender the suitor was. Many times, the suitor had already been chosen before gifts were given, at least behind closed doors.</p><p>But, it did matter when the suitor was from the Jung Royal Family.</p><p>An announcement ran through the hall just after dessert. The traditional courtship dancing was to start soon.</p><p>Jaejoong sighed.</p><p>“I could just wrap my arms around you and never let you go,” Yunho said.</p><p>“Tempting.” Jaejoong stood up, head going a little light. He’d had a bit too much to drink. He led the way off the stage, down to the main floor where servants and nobles alike were removing the tables and chairs. As before, Jaejoong helped, and to his delight, so did Yunho, earning the visiting prince some compliments and thanks from his staff and people.</p><p>The dancing was to give the prince or princess the opportunity for all their suitors to talk with them. Jaejoong had thought it’d been silly when he was younger, but the older he got, the more he realized just how much you could tell of a person in a few minutes.</p><p>As before, the music through the speakers turned off and the ensemble of musicians took over. The dancing was always traditional waltzes.</p><p>A hand touched his back. A hand he knew, but then it was gone too soon, and Jaejoong found himself with Jinki, a noble from one of the royal houses, in front of him, bowing.</p><p>Jaejoong smiled. Jinki probably would have been first in line if it wasn’t for Yunho. He had no problems at all letting Jinki spin him around the dance floor, laughing at this silly jokes and antics, and easily returning Jinki’s wide smile. After Jinki, was Jiyong, and then Seunghyun, who Jaejoong knew was dancing with him as a joke, and he’d probably get a some sort of sexually explicit gift from him later.</p><p>While most of the attention was on him, Jaejoong was thankful that he was not the only one that had to dance while everyone watched. He caught a glimpse of Yoochun and Changmin dancing together, and then a slightly irate Junsu holding Yoochun almost too close while glaring at Changmin. His servant looked way too pleased with himself.</p><p>Jaejoong almost refused when it was Woohyuk’s turn to dance with him, but that was definitely not allowed and would cause the most horrific scandal. It was hard to relax in his arms though. Jaejoong had spent most of his life turning away his advances which had started almost before he was old enough to understand what being married meant.</p><p>“You are going to end up as mine,” he said.</p><p>It was not allowed to say such things, but Jaejoong did not care. “I will not. I do not like you.”</p><p>“You may change your mind after you see my gift.”</p><p>“The only thing you can give me that I will welcome is your dick on a platter. Or your head. I am not picky.”</p><p>Woohyuk chuckled. “Such a defiant child, allowing one of the enemy to court you. Your parents will not approve.”</p><p>“They already have,” Jaejoong mostly lied. He knew his mother was aware of his relationship with Yunho, but his father was not.</p><p>His father met with King Jung once a year just to promise that they would not start bombing each other. They did not like one another.</p><p>The song ended and Jaejoong ripped himself away from Woohyuk who attempted to cling to him. Thankfully, Changmin was nearby and Jaejoong managed to get him into a dancing stance just as the next song started.</p><p>Changmin chuckled. “I am not courting you.”</p><p>“I do not care. Fuck him.”</p><p>Changmin glanced over at him. “Our intel shows that he has been snooping in places he should not be.”</p><p>“Tell me something I don’t know.”</p><p>“We caught a man in our kingdom about a month ago following Yunho around. We found no evidence that he was doing anything illegal, but he’s still sitting in a jail cell waiting for us to process his paperwork to send him back here. He refused to talk. We are above torture these days,” He sounded almost disappointed in that, “but I am sure I can tell who ordered him there. Woohyuk is not quiet in his desire for you.”</p><p>“He can be loud and obnoxious all he wants. He will not have me.”</p><p>Changmin chuckled.</p><p>“And what of your little threesome you’re working on?”</p><p>Changmin grinned. “A gentleman does not--”</p><p>“Gentleman my ass.”</p><p>He laughed. “Fine. Then the only one who still needs convincing is Junsu. He’s very possessive in his love for your servant. Much like my prince’s love for you.”</p><p>Jaejoong flushed. “Shut up, punk.”</p><p>The song ended too soon. Jaejoong loved Changmin in the way he loved his sisters. He had never treated Jaejoong as a prince, but just as himself.</p><p>Changmin spun him in a flourish, right into the arms of Yunho, and he winked. “All warmed up for you, hyung.”</p><p>Yunho chuckled and Jaejoong pressed close to side his blush against Yunho’s strong shoulder. Just for a moment, and then they were dancing, their hands together, Yunho’s arm at his waist, slowly spinning around the dance floor. Their eyes met and held and Jaejoong held his breath when he didn’t need to breathe. He did not need to breathe when he was with Yunho.</p><p>“This was a bad idea,” Yunho said, “dancing with you. I can feel the others circling, those who wish to possess you.”</p><p>“No one but you will ever be able to.”</p><p>Yunho smiled. “I know that. But I hate their looks. I hate how much they lust after you.”</p><p>“Well, I am attractive.”</p><p>“God, I want to kiss you. I want to spin you right out of this room and across the palace and into your bed.”</p><p>Jaejoong moaned. “Fuck off. Shut up.”</p><p>“And then naked, tracing your royal tattoo with my tongue. With two fingers buried in your ass, while you beg for my dick.”</p><p>“God,” Jaejoong gasped. “Shut up.”</p><p>Yunho chuckled. “Does your family still believe that you and your suitor are not allowed to be together until after the wedding ceremony?”</p><p>“Shit, yes. Fuck them. This is ... fuck this shit.”</p><p>Yunho laughed a little louder, pulled him a little closer, just close enough for his erection to brush against Jaejoong’s thigh.</p><p>“Oh, god.”</p><p>“Love it when you call me god.”</p><p>“Shut up. God, Yunho, shut up. I want you so badly.” He twisted his body on the next spin to brush against Yunho’s side.</p><p>“As soon as I am socially allowed, I am going to kiss you.”</p><p>Jaejoong huffed. “Fuck. I hate you.” He spun away from Yunho, even if the song was not over and stalked toward Yoochun and Changmin. Yunho was right behind them.</p><p>He downed the shot Yoochun offered and then shivered at the possessive touch to his side, the warm breath on his neck. “Love you, baby.”</p><p>Jaejoong shoved him away.</p><p>Laughing, Yunho moved and then left. Jaejoong waited just a moment, before looking for him. He bowed to one of Jaejoong’s sisters and then asked the husband if he might dance with her.</p><p>“God, I hate him,” Jaejoong muttered.</p><p>Yoochun and Changmin laughed at him.</p><p>Jaejoong had only a moment to sip at some wine before another suitor was there, bowing at him. Jaejoong smiled the best he could and let the man lead him around the floor.</p><p>Jaejoong danced for hours, never with the same man twice, though Woohyuk tried. It seemed like lifetimes later before the servants began setting up for the gift ceremony. Ornate chairs were lined up along one wall, a single red chair pulled forward. That was Jaejoong’s chair, where he would sit and accept the gifts of his suitors.</p><p>Servants wove through the dancers, offering water and champagne. Jaejoong took water. His feet hurt. He was sweaty and felt like he was going to throw up. He should have asked his parents to forego this mess of a tradition and just let him marry Yunho.</p><p>But it was for his people too. They liked to party. They liked to see and talk with the royal family in more relaxed settings than at court or during business deals.</p><p>When everything was set up, Jaejoong sat in the chair provided for him. Yoochun stayed behind the chair, always on guard. The rest of his family filled the chairs behind them.</p><p>Servants rolled out tables piled with Jaejoong’s gifts. Some were small, some were large. Some were even wrapped. He smiled. He did like getting presents.</p><p>A quick count when they arrived had more than twenty packages, and those were only the ones he could see. Had he danced with so many men?</p><p>Each man’s name was called by a court scribe and he came forward, bowed to Jaejoong, expressed his desire to marry him and said, “Perhaps this gift will turn your favor toward me.”</p><p>Jaejoong nodded in acknowledgement to each one with a “I will consider you as a suitor.”</p><p>Many of the gifts were simple but well thought out. Jaejoong’s love of cooking was known through the states, so he received many little kitchen gadgets and many exotic ingredients to cook with. He also received jewelry and clothes.</p><p>Seunghyun, as expected, had given him a box of dildos. A box of them. “It’s because no one is going to please you like I will, so--”</p><p>“Choi Seunghyun!” the queen shouted, drawing laughter from the crowd.</p><p>“Okay, okay. Perhaps this gift will turn your favor toward me. Some of them vibrate,” he added with a wink.</p><p>Jaejoong laughed and shooed him away.</p><p>Jinki, the little brat, hadn’t taken a gift from the table but reached into his jacket pocket and then tossed Jaejoong a set of keys. “My Ferrari. Well, your Ferrari now.”</p><p>Jaejoong laughed and shook the keys. “Thank you, Jinki. I will consider you as a suitor.” He did love Jinki’s Ferrari. Bright white and sexy. He felt a little bad for taking it when he was not going to choose to marry Jinki, but if Jinki was giving it up that meant he was going to or had already bought a replacement.</p><p>Jaejoong stiffened when it was Woohyuk’s turn. He expected something big, elaborate, showing off his wealth. When Woohyuk handed him an envelope, he expected the deed of a property, or a business deal worth millions.</p><p>He was not expecting pictures. Pictures of Yunho with a woman. Pictures of Yunho kissing a woman, mostly naked in hot tub. And then in a bed. Yunho’s gorgeous body laid out naked on black sheets. His stomach covered in come. He only looked at three pictures, but there were plenty more in the envelope.</p><p>Jaejoong’s face paled, his head went light. He swallowed back bile.</p><p>He dropped the pictures back in the envelope and handed them to Yoochun. He took a very deep breath and met Woohyuk’s eyes. Only the reminder that Changmin said they had caught someone following Yunho kept Jaejoong from demanding answers.</p><p>“Thank you,” Jaejoong said and then nothing else.</p><p>Woohyuk waited.</p><p>Jaejoong met his eyes coolly, and finally, the court scribe called out another name.</p><p>Woohyuk did not move for a while. Not until the king interfered and told him to get back with the rest of the suitors.</p><p>It took Jaejoong a few more suitors before his smiles were less forced and he was able to enjoy the gifts that were given to him.</p><p>When Yunho dropped to a knee before him, head bowed, Jaejoong was not sure what to say. He was not going to believe for a moment that those pictures were real. It was too painful. He and Yunho had been lovers for almost ten years, far longer than was appropriate for princes from neighboring and warring kingdoms.</p><p>When Yunho looked up and saw Jaejoong’s face, his own softened in concern. “Jae-baby?”</p><p>Jaejoong was not sure how to handle this. He was not going to have time to see Yunho in private until much later. He was not going to be able to get his answers. But this was not the place for it. Not at all.</p><p>He did not care. He was going to spend his life with this man. He had to know. He’d already thrown propriety out the window by allowing Yunho here to be a suitor. He’d already destroyed tradition by agreeing to dance and be courted by a Jung Kingdom prince.</p><p>He turned and held out his hand for the envelope from Woohyuk.</p><p>The crowd tittered and even his father said his name in admonishment. You did not show a suitor someone else’s present.</p><p>Jaejoong did not care. He emptied the pictures onto the ground between them.</p><p>Yunho only looked down once and then back up at Jaejoong with his eyes wide.</p><p>Jaejoong attempted to smile. “Apparently, one of my suitors thought that this was an appropriate gift for the courting ceremony.”</p><p>Yunho huffed, and then rushed through his explanation. “Two months ago, I woke up in my room with no knowledge of the previous night. Not beyond dinner. It’d been a business meeting with internal trade from the mountains to the plains. We are thinking of building a high-speed train between the two provinces. I had a lot to drink, as is usual in business meetings, but not so much that I couldn’t remember. When I found out that Changmin also had woken up groggy and without much memory of the night before, we knew something was up. Changmin looked into it and found someone from your kingdom following me. He’s currently in our prison system for ... well, coming into the country illegally, since we have no record of his visit. We’re looking into it. That woman was at the business meeting and party afterward. She was adamant on being near me at all times. I shrugged off her advances.”</p><p>Jaejoong stared at him.</p><p>“You are not allowed to leave,” Yoochun suddenly shouted, and Jaejoong noticed that Woohyuk was headed toward the doors.</p><p>“Detain him,” the king added.</p><p>Jaejoong looked back at Yunho, ignoring the commotion by the door. “Fine. Do you have a present for me or not?”</p><p>Yunho smiled. “Besides my undying love?”</p><p>Jaejoong huffed. “Yes. Jerk. Besides that.”</p><p>Yunho took a square, flat box from the table. “Perhaps this gift will turn your favor toward me.”</p><p>Jaejoong snatched it from his hands. It was not wrapped. It was not adorned with anything. Just a box that might have held clothing. Jaejoong ripped the top off, uncaring when it fell to the ground. He stopped, frozen and stared.</p><p>Laying in the box was a flower crown. The flowers were a little wilted, but still bright purple with yellow centers. Their stems were wrapped together, and Jaejoong knew that Yunho had done this himself.</p><p>He was thrown back so many years ago, to the wide open grasses and beautiful gardens of Yunho’s palace. He’d somehow managed to wander from his family on a visit, and Yunho had found him lying in the grass. They had been eleven years old. It was the first time they had met, and neither knew the other was a prince, but neither questioned the other’s presence in the garden. They talked and laughed and played hand-clapping games until a servant found them to take them to dinner.</p><p>Yunho had promised then and there that they would marry each other. He’d been determined to marry the most beautiful person in the world and that was Jaejoong. He’d made Jaejoong a crown of flowers of white and pink, declaring Jaejoong as the king of his heart and that he was more beautiful than the flowers of the earth.</p><p>Jaejoong still had that flower crown, pressed gently between the pages of one of his favorite books.</p><p>Jaejoong swallowed back tears. With shaking hands, he reached into the box and lifted the crown. It was more sturdy than he was expecting, and he noticed the small silver wire running around the flower stems. Even if it was not exactly appropriate to wear a suitor’s gift in the courting ceremony, Jaejoong put it on his head.</p><p>“Still more beautiful than the flowers of this earth,” Yunho whispered.</p><p>Jaejoong smiled. He had to clear this throat before he was able to speak. “Thank you. I will consider you as a suitor.”</p><p>Yunho bowed again, hand to his chest in subjugation, and then stood and walked back to Changmin.</p><p>The court scribe did not call out another name, and it took Jaejoong a moment to realize it was because of the pictures on the floor. Yoochun realized in that same moment and went in front of him to gather them up and stood behind him.</p><p>There were only a few more gifts on the table, and Jaejoong was so thankful when it was over.</p><p>Music started again through the hall, and many began dancing and drinking anew. Jaejoong was allowed to leave, move into a room near the back of the hall. He did, and Yoochun followed him, as did his mother and father.</p><p>He was gasping before the door shut, almost crying, pressed tight against Yoochun’s chest.</p><p>He heard them talking about the pictures, about what Yunho had said, and then he was transferred to his mother’s arms. She hugged him, whispered reassurances at him, and then pushed him away to wipe at his tears.</p><p>“My darling boy, whatever are you crying for? You are getting what you have wanted your entire life. If you do not believe or trust in your Yunho at this moment when he needs it the most, then you are not going to be allowed to marry him.”</p><p>“Mother!”</p><p>She smiled. “Do you trust him? Do you trust his story?”</p><p>Jaejoong swallowed and nodded. “I ... yes. I ... of course.”</p><p>“Do you love him?”</p><p>“More than my kingdom.”</p><p>She snorted, and the king huffed. “You should drawn and quartered for such a declaration.”</p><p>“We no longer believe in torture,” he said automatically.</p><p>With a sigh, she brushed at his cheek, wiping tears again. “He adores you. You know this. Go to your rooms, okay? Tomorrow, we will contact his parents and we will arrange everything.”</p><p>Jaejoong hugged his mother tightly. “Thank you.”</p><p>“You did not hide your relationship well, or at all.”</p><p>Yoochun snorted. “That’s an understatement.”</p><p>“Do not be so glib,” the queen said. “Once this mess is straightened out, we will talk about you and Junsu.”</p><p>Yoochun swallowed. “Yes, your highness.”</p><p> </p><p>Jaejoong laughed.</p><p>“Go on,” the queen said again. “We will make excuses for you.”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>Jaejoong followed Yoochun from the room, using back hallways to get to his rooms on the other side of their main house. Out of sight of the others. His face was flushed and red, eyes still wet with tears. Even if it took longer, he was in no state to see anyone.</p><p>He opened the door to his private bedroom and stopped in shock.</p><p>Yunho was already there, sitting on a chair. Smiling.</p><p>Jaejoong turned away with a huff. “Jerk. Fuck. What the hell?”</p><p>Yunho chuckled. “Queen’s orders. I was escorted here.”</p><p>The bedroom door shut, and Jaejoong turned around to glare at it and at his servant who was no longer there.</p><p>“I am sorry,” Yunho said. “I should have told you that we were investigating someone from your kingdom.”</p><p> </p><p>Jaejoong swallowed. “It’s not entirely your fault. I’ve been busy the last month or so. And so have you.”</p><p>“Still. I have talked to you many times between now and then. But I did not want to accuse him without evidence, so I did not tell you. I had no idea that woman had done those things to me.”</p><p>“Hopefully, you will be able to find her.”</p><p>“Hopefully, you will be able to forgive me.”</p><p>“You’ve done nothing wrong.”</p><p>“Still.”</p><p>Jaejoong smiled and moved toward him, falling very ungracefully into his lap, arms around his neck, face buried against his skin.</p><p>“I love you,” Yunho whispered into his hair.</p><p>Jaejoong snorted. “Ass. Don’t say such things when I’m too emotional to think straight.”</p><p>“I will say such things for the rest of our lives.” He lifted Jaejoong’s face and pressed a light kiss to his lips. “I love you, my beautiful flower. The light in my sky. The stars that brighten the night.”</p><p>Jaejoong blushed, chest tightening with happiness. And love. “I love you. Will your parents agree to our marriage?”</p><p>Yunho chuckled. “Probably not. But I am the heir to the throne. I get to do what I want.”</p><p>“A selfish and spoiled brat.”</p><p>Jaejoong shifted on his lap, and Yunho shifted with him, until Jaejoong was straddling his knees, hands on Yunho’s strong shoulders. Their mouths joined, their hearts beating together through the long, slow kiss.</p><p>“It’s been a long day,” Yunho said. “Let’s take a bath.”</p><p>A sudden thunk from the other room had them both looking that way. And then Yoochun’s muffled shout, “Kim Junsu, keep your clothes on!”</p><p>Changmin’s deeper voice muttered something encouraging, tone light and happy.</p><p>A moment later, Yoochun moaned.</p><p>Jaejoong looked back at Yunho and smiled. “Definitely a bath. And then to bed.” He reached up and pulled one of the sticks holding his hair up. “It’s been way too long since I’ve had your hair all over my skin.”</p><p>Yunho smiled. “You love me.”</p><p>“More than my kingdom,” Jaejoong said, something he had vowed often to the other. If he had been the heir to the throne, then maybe circumstances would have kept them apart. But he had no problems at all marrying Yunho and moving to his kingdom. His father had said they needed a stronger treaty, a stronger bind, to keep them from even considering a war. Jaejoong did not mind being that strategic piece in their tenuous game of chess.</p><p>Their lips met again, and then again, and Jaejoong pulled away long enough to officially declare, “Of all the suitors, your gift pleased me the best. I have chosen you as my husband. Do you accept?”</p><p>Yunho smiled widely. “I’ve always vowed to be married to the most beautiful person in the world, so yes. Even if I feel that I am unworthy of your heart and your love sometimes, I would be completely stupid not to accept.”</p><p>“It's a good thing that you’re only sort of stupid.”</p><p>Yunho growled, toppled them both off the chair and onto the floor. He muffled Jaejoong’s laughter with his mouth and then fulfilled all the teasing promises he had made while they had been dancing.</p>
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